Berkeley’s Landmarks Preservation Commission narrowly turned down a proposal to declare the Elmwood neighborhood’s commercial strip a “historic district” Thursday, dealing a defeat to residents and merchants who sought the status in hopes of limiting changes in the area city officials have targeted for new housing.
Hundreds of people, including 17 owners of commercial properties in the neighborhood, signed petitions in support of the designation, which would have made it more difficult to demolish and redevelop buildings in the district. That’s the outcome many critics fear will happen if Berkeley adopts a set of proposed zoning changes that would raise height limits on College Avenue in the Elmwood District, along with portions of Shattuck and Solano avenues in North Berkeley, to encourage apartment buildings in those areas. The City Council is expected to vote on the zoning proposal this summer.
“It is a functioning, vibrant, commercial and residential area,” resident Amy Clyde said of the Elmwood during the public comment period at Thursday’s meeting. “People are trying to create public spaces like this all of the time, all over the country — why would we not want to keep this just the way it is?”…